EA Sports UFC set to be Released in Spring 2014 [UPDATED]

You may remember that at last year’s E3 EA announced that they had purchased the rights to the UFC video game franchise from THQ about half a year before they went bankrupt. Since then nothing has been said about what EA was planning on doing with the UFC game series…

However that all changed today during their E3 press conference EA Sports Executive Vice President Andrew Wilson announced that EA Sports’ UFC will be released on the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 in Spring 2014. To commemorate the announcement they have released a snippet of what appears to be gameplay footage which can be seen embedded below.

Dean Richards, General Manager, EA SPORTS UFC, said;

We are very excited to deliver the most realistic fighting experience ever achieved. With a talented and experienced team at the helm, and powered by EA SPORTS IGNITE, we’ve created a gameplay feature set for EA SPORTS UFC where every fighter, every strike, every takedown and submission will bring you inside the Octagon like no game ever has before.

Dana White, President, UFC, added;

I couldn’t be more excited about the work that the team at EA SPORTS has done on the upcoming UFC game. It’s been a great partnership and even though it is still early in development, the game looks amazing. It will be groundbreaking! Fans of all combat sports will love it and have a lot to look forward to in the spring of 2014.

Here is a truncated version of its list of gameplay features:

MMAi – Down on the scorecards, look for the AI to end the fight with a knockout or a submission. A smarter opponent equals a more challenging and unpredictable fight.

Real-Time Exertion – Through real-time vein popping, skin discoloration, muscle flex, as well as signs of fatigue setting in through the course of each round, you will witness the effort it takes to be one of the best fighters in the world.

Fighter Likeness and Facial Animations – Every single licensed fighter in the game has been created from high resolution 3D head and body scans to deliver revolutionary character likeness and authenticity. Powered by EA SPORTS IGNITE, new facial animation technology delivers more expression, emotion and will communicate greater sense of awareness and intelligence in the Octagon.

Full Body Deformation – The team that revolutionized sports by bringing authentic physics to Fight Night changes the game again with an all-new, full-body deformation system that moves and displaces the fighter’s flesh in real time. For the first time, the strength of every submission and power of every strike will truly make an impression.

Precision Movement – Powered by EA SPORTS IGNITE, the Precision Movement locomotion system grounds the fighters, eliminating unrealistic slipping and sliding across the canvas. More realistic physics-driven movement delivers more realistic action as the overall transfer of energy from the ground up delivers more impactful and believable strikes and takedowns.

Dynamic Striking – A dynamic environment allows you to pull off jaw-dropping moves using the Octagon, including roundhouse kicks, superman punches and much more. Combine those abilities with the best striking technology in the industry and that one perfect strike could change the fight.

Strategic Submission Battles – Like the real sport, in EA SPORTS UFC fighters will work through multiple stages as they work to advance or escape from a fight-ending submission.

Real Damage – EA SPORTS UFC introduces a non-linear damage system which can result in big damage coming from a single strike. The system produces a greater variety of cuts and contusions that is true-to-life and has never been possible in a simulation fighting game.